DAVID MOYES revealed how practice made perfect for Mikel Arteta when he struck Everton’s winner against Bolton on Saturday – and then likened him to Thierry Henry.

The manager praised the work ethic of the Spaniard, whose extra training-ground work paid off with the fine 60th-minute strike that secured the three points.

Moyes said: "He comes in when a lot of the players are off and he works on his finishing, coming in off the side on the right and on the left and he does work on it.

"So his goal today was no more than what he deserves for the practice he puts in."

Arteta provided the decisive moment that allowed Everton to shrug off the loss of Tim Cahill from the midfield.

Moyes is confident that the 24-year-old has the ability to minimise the impact of the top scorer being out injured for the next six weeks – and can have the type of effect on his team that Henry does for Arsenal.

Moyes said: "Mikel has always had a level of performance which has been important for us but we needed somebody who could find something different, that moment which can win games, and he gave us that.

"How many times have you looked at Arsenal and looked at Henry, how he males that special moment that wins the game? Mikel gave us that.

"We need a bit of praise for the way we played him in the system we played, to nullify Bolton’s strength and to find an opening and we thought Mikel could do that.

He can do a job for us wide, central, and from that point of view makes him a valuable player for us.

"He was the one player today who could caress the ball and treat it kindly and do a little bit with it so his moment was good enough to win the game."

Arteta has already trebled his Premiership goals tally for last season, the goal against Bolton being his third of the current league campaign.

And Moyes reckons keeping up his scoring rate could be the key to the player gaining internaqtional recognition with the Spanish national team.

"I’ve said to Mikel that with his ability, goals should be a big part of his game," Moyes added.

"He can eliminate people, he can do it in the box, he’s got great feet and he is a good finisher," added Moyes.

"We see it in training and as you’ve seen today he can do it with his left foot as well as his right.

"So he is somebody we think can do that and I think if he added some goals to his game I think he might even get more recognition for the Spanish team.

"I just think the Spanish side haven’t done that well and although they have some cracking players to pick from I’ve got to say that I think he would be deserving of an opportunity."

"He’s come to the Premier League and done quite well and maybe we’re playing him a bit differently as a wider midfield player, not necessarily a winger, who can manipulate the ball. For us he’s doing a terrific job so is worthy of a call-up."

Meanwhile, the Everton boss moved swiftly to insist that he was not being critical of England coach Steve McClaren when he revealed his disappointment that Andrew Johnson wasn’t played as a central striker in last week’s friendly against Holland.

Moyes said: "At no time was I ever critical of McClaren All I ever said was what I think Andy Johnson’s position was.

"At no time was I critical because my job is hard enough, never mind Steve McClaren’s."